Super hot deal if you have a grandfathered unlimited data plan on Verizon.

Verizon confirmed to a blog today that you can take your unlimited data plan, and move it from a smartphone over to a tablet or hotspot. They cited the new iPad and MiFi, but it looks like it will work with any Verizon LTE device.

For example, put your Smartphone SIM card into an LTE MiFi, and forward calls to a Page Plus phone. You now have unlimited data on your laptop with 4G LTE... and your calls go to cheap prepaid on the Verizon network (Page Plus uses Verizon).

This is an epic deal. The new iPad for Verizon costs $680 out in California, but by dropping the hotspot plan on my Verizon line, it'll pay for itself. And I get to justify a "free" iPad and its mobile hotspot feature. Sweet!

I do have a grandfathered plan, but it's 3G. Anyone know if I can switch it to 4G?

landie

New Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 10:48a

Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

rjdoc74

Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 12:10p

Very interested in finding out as well. I have Iphone 4 with grandfathered 3G plan.

yelve

Senior Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 12:29p

smw said: I do have a grandfathered plan, but it's 3G. Anyone know if I can switch it to 4G?get a 4g phone which will have the LTE card in it

smw

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 1:40p

yelve said: smw said: I do have a grandfathered plan, but it's 3G. Anyone know if I can switch it to 4G?get a 4g phone which will have the LTE card in itRight, but my current plan doesn't use a SIM card.

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 1:48p

smw said: yelve said: smw said: I do have a grandfathered plan, but it's 3G. Anyone know if I can switch it to 4G?get a 4g phone which will have the LTE card in itRight, but my current plan doesn't use a SIM card.

As long as you have a 3G smartphone on Verizon with unlimited data, you can upgrade to a 4G LTE smartphone and keep your grandfathered plan.

Then you will have an LTE SIM with unlimited data.

smw

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 1:56p

Should have specified - I'm not actually using a smartphone, I just have a data plan with a Mifi.

sgogo

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 3:33p

Thanks!

g10ny

Serene Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 3:49p

Wait a minute, since when did Verizon start using SIM cards?

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 4:14p

g10ny said: Wait a minute, since when did Verizon start using SIM cards?

Since 4G LTE. When you upgrade your phone to LTE, it moves your grandfathered plan to a SIM and a new LTE phone.

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 4:15p

smw said: Should have specified - I'm not actually using a smartphone, I just have a data plan with a Mifi.

MiFi plans and SIMs will work with iPad, it's only a good deal if you're burning off a MiFi contract though, as the iPad prepaid plans usually are cheaper.

Any LTE SIM on Verizon will work with any LTE device on Verizon. Theoretically you could use a mobile hotspot plan in a smartphone... Not that you'd really want to in most cases though.

rjdoc74

Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 4:20p

OK Verizon gurus; please explain this to me. I have an unlimited grandfathered 3G plan on iPhone 4 with Verizon. If I buy a 4G phone, they will allow me to switch this plan to an unlimited 4G LTE plan for the same $30 price? If this is true, sounds kind of unreal.

What if I want to back to my current IPhone? Is my unlimitied grandfathered plan lost for the IPhone? or can I go back and forth?

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 4:22p

landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

asuka said: landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you buy a WiFi iPad and use your smartphone with unlimited data as a hotspot? The contract phone+WiFi iPad is roughly the same upfront cost as a Wifi/LTE iPad.

rickt86

Senior Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 4:51p

chripuck said: asuka said: landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you buy a WiFi iPad and use your smartphone with unlimited data as a hotspot? The contract phone+WiFi iPad is roughly the same upfront cost as a Wifi/LTE iPad.

Was just going to say this! Get FOXFi if you have an android phone on VZW. It will let you make almost any VZW Android phone a hotspot.

unixadmin

Broke Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 5:14p

asuka said: landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

Please keep us informed if you unlimited plan gets changed or throttled.

zen2zen

Senior Member

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 8:53p

that exactly what i am doing. was streaming the ncaa tourney on my blackberry playbook using foxfi on my razr 4g with unlimited data. used 1.5 gb a day without any throttling ... now keeping my fingers crossed to vz does not change their policy!

rickt86 said: chripuck said: asuka said: landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you buy a WiFi iPad and use your smartphone with unlimited data as a hotspot? The contract phone+WiFi iPad is roughly the same upfront cost as a Wifi/LTE iPad.

Was just going to say this! Get FOXFi if you have an android phone on VZW. It will let you make almost any VZW Android phone a hotspot.

henry33

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 19, 2012 @ 10:06p

rickt86 said: chripuck said: asuka said: landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you buy a WiFi iPad and use your smartphone with unlimited data as a hotspot? The contract phone+WiFi iPad is roughly the same upfront cost as a Wifi/LTE iPad.

Was just going to say this! Get FOXFi if you have an android phone on VZW. It will let you make almost any VZW Android phone a hotspot.

And if you do this, can you use google voice through gmail to make free phone calls through the ipad or any android tablet?

rickt86

Senior Member

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 11:02a

if you start using more than 4 GB a month or somewhere around that range, you are putting yourself in danger. I have tethered for years, including my slingbox, but have never ever gone over 2 or 3 gb, and most months are about 1gb. Just be careful, you use 10gb/mo and I am sure it will flag you eventually.

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 12:41p

chripuck said: asuka said: landie said: Was offered to transfer remaining one year contract for a Verizon iphone4 that includes unlimited data plan.

Verizon chat said unlimited data plan can not be used for the new ipad 3 LTE

Is chat misinformed?

Yes... They are misinformed. Verizon does not want to let people turn their $30 older smartphone data plans into unlimited iPad hotspot plans...

But they stupidly let people keep these plans when they upgraded to LTE, and the 700 MHz auction rules require them to allow swapping of device types... Sans reprisal.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you buy a WiFi iPad and use your smartphone with unlimited data as a hotspot? The contract phone+WiFi iPad is roughly the same upfront cost as a Wifi/LTE iPad.

The problem is that Verizon's TOS prohibits running FoxFi or other tethering-bypass apps on your phone. But, they cannot prohibit using your LTE SIM in an iPad or MiFi.

Sounds lame (as most VZW limitations), but this actually works a lot better from my experience over the past 24 hours. Tethering on my Droid Charge simply did not work right, and this does.

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 12:42p

rickt86 said: if you start using more than 4 GB a month or somewhere around that range, you are putting yourself in danger. I have tethered for years, including my slingbox, but have never ever gone over 2 or 3 gb, and most months are about 1gb. Just be careful, you use 10gb/mo and I am sure it will flag you eventually.

I've used 20-30 GB on Verizon LTE in the past for multiple months, and never had an issue. You really run into issues when you have go into the 100+ GB range on 4G.

20-30 GB was the "flagging" range in the 3G era. There are a lot of valid use cases that can tip you into 50 GB in the 4G era (LogMeIn, Hulu, Netflix, etc).

rickt86

Senior Member

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 12:49p

anyone know what happens if you set your service address to somewhere like OR? The tax in OR is super low for cell phones, as opposed to like FL that is high? They never mail anything to you there, its just where your service is based. Anyone have any experience messing with this and getting around the tax?

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 1:18p

rickt86 said: anyone know what happens if you set your service address to somewhere like OR? The tax in OR is super low for cell phones, as opposed to like FL that is high? They never mail anything to you there, its just where your service is based. Anyone have any experience messing with this and getting around the tax?

Can we keep this to just LTE SIM swapping? Maybe start a new thread? Obviously FW has a relationship with Verizon, we don't need to tick things off more-so with asking about how to duck taxes...

-2 lines-NATIONWIDE TLK&TXT SHARE 1400-My line has unlimited data and is up for upgrade

What I want to do is add another line, get a new phone (using upgrade) and use my unlimited data sim in a Tablet.Best Buy has the Motorola Xoom (upgradeable to 4G) on sale for $299.99. So would I buy the Xoom, add a verizon 2GB data plan, use my upgrade to get a new device, and then swap sims?

How would my scenario work if instead of the Xoom I purchased an iPad through Verizon?

alamo11

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 4:02p

rickt86 said: anyone know what happens if you set your service address to somewhere like OR? The tax in OR is super low for cell phones, as opposed to like FL that is high? They never mail anything to you there, its just where your service is based. Anyone have any experience messing with this and getting around the tax?

Second this question..

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 4:28p

skeez said: Ok, so help me out here. Here is what I currently have:

-2 lines-NATIONWIDE TLK&TXT SHARE 1400-My line has unlimited data and is up for upgrade

What I want to do is add another line, get a new phone (using upgrade) and use my unlimited data sim in a Tablet.Best Buy has the Motorola Xoom (upgradeable to 4G) on sale for $299.99. So would I buy the Xoom, add a verizon 2GB data plan, use my upgrade to get a new device, and then swap sims?

How would my scenario work if instead of the Xoom I purchased an iPad through Verizon?

That would work, but keep in mind you can't swap phone numbers around. So, you would have to forward calls from your old number to your new phone number, and tell everyone to start using your new phone number.

The Verizon LTE XOOM is no different from the Verizon LTE iPad in this regard, same exact process.

ClearanceItem

Enthusiastic Member

posted: Mar. 20, 2012 @ 10:19p

This thread is fascinating. Green OP

Pete1980

New Member

posted: Mar. 30, 2012 @ 3:10p

This thread is 10 days old but does anyone know if I can transfer a 3G unlimited plan to my iPad? If I tell Verizon I bought a droid razr or nexus on eBay will they give me a sim for that line that I can just pop into the iPad?

Pete1980

New Member

posted: Mar. 31, 2012 @ 7:30p

If anyone else wants to know, the answer is no...a store can't issue a sim only. I ended up upgrading to a 4G microsim phone at Best Buy (cheapest price) and plan on returning the phone in a few days. I hate having to do it that way, but I did try to get just a sim only.

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Apr. 9, 2012 @ 12:10a

Pete1980 said: If anyone else wants to know, the answer is no...a store can't issue a sim only. I ended up upgrading to a 4G microsim phone at Best Buy (cheapest price) and plan on returning the phone in a few days. I hate having to do it that way, but I did try to get just a sim only.

The store was correct. They need the IMEI of a Verizon LTE device to attach to the SIM card, or their system won't activate the SIM. Legally, Verizon is allowed to sell you a plan matching the device-type, they just can't stop you from moving it to another device-type later.

You can borrow a deactivated phone and use it for a minute... even ask someone on eBay for the IMEI to "verify" the device is clear to activate. To pull that off though, you need to buy an LTE SIM and have it on-hand when you call customer service to swap from your 3G smartphone to the SIM.

As soon as you get the SIM, and put it in another device (iPad/hotspot/etc), the system releases the old IMEI and that device is cleared to activate again. Completely automatic and you don't need to call customer service to update your IMEI after swapping the SIM into the new device.

P.S. One caveat, you can't swap back-and-forth between LTE SIM card and 3G smartphone. If you deactivate the SIM card and swap back to a 3G smartphone, the SIM card will fry itself and be useless... you'll need a new SIM card to swap back. Good motivator to get rid of 3G smartphones on your account (as I have).

RedWolfe01

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Apr. 9, 2012 @ 1:36p

asuka said: rickt86 said: if you start using more than 4 GB a month or somewhere around that range, you are putting yourself in danger. I have tethered for years, including my slingbox, but have never ever gone over 2 or 3 gb, and most months are about 1gb. Just be careful, you use 10gb/mo and I am sure it will flag you eventually.

I've used 20-30 GB on Verizon LTE in the past for multiple months, and never had an issue. You really run into issues when you have go into the 100+ GB range on 4G.

20-30 GB was the "flagging" range in the 3G era. There are a lot of valid use cases that can tip you into 50 GB in the 4G era (LogMeIn, Hulu, Netflix, etc).

I wouldn't count on that allocation to continue. Currently they don't have that many 4g devices/customers so they may not be enforcing anything. As they offload EVDO customers to LTE the system will start to run low on spectrum and backhaul if every user runs excessive data.

You can't even BUY that much data cap on current rateplans. They don't promise max speed on that unlimited data so expect to see throttling introduced at some point. Soon, with new i-devices.

(I work in the cell industry for a major LTE/UMTS equipment vendor)

My current 4g hotspot on AT&T is 5GB for $40, as a sample. (with discounts)

chadforster

New Member

posted: Apr. 10, 2012 @ 6:05p

asuka said: Pete1980 said: If anyone else wants to know, the answer is no...a store can't issue a sim only. I ended up upgrading to a 4G microsim phone at Best Buy (cheapest price) and plan on returning the phone in a few days. I hate having to do it that way, but I did try to get just a sim only.

The store was correct. They need the IMEI of a Verizon LTE device to attach to the SIM card, or their system won't activate the SIM. Legally, Verizon is allowed to sell you a plan matching the device-type, they just can't stop you from moving it to another device-type later.

You can borrow a deactivated phone and use it for a minute... even ask someone on eBay for the IMEI to "verify" the device is clear to activate. To pull that off though, you need to buy an LTE SIM and have it on-hand when you call customer service to swap from your 3G smartphone to the SIM.

As soon as you get the SIM, and put it in another device (iPad/hotspot/etc), the system releases the old IMEI and that device is cleared to activate again. Completely automatic and you don't need to call customer service to update your IMEI after swapping the SIM into the new device.

P.S. One caveat, you can't swap back-and-forth between LTE SIM card and 3G smartphone. If you deactivate the SIM card and swap back to a 3G smartphone, the SIM card will fry itself and be useless... you'll need a new SIM card to swap back. Good motivator to get rid of 3G smartphones on your account (as I have).

Quick question please. Help is appreciated!

I'd like to use my current iPhone 4S plan (Grandfathered Unlimited) and transfer my new iPad to it. (I can activate my iPhone on a line my employer is willing to give me and pay for) Can I borrow a friends Verizon Razor phone (she is currently using it) and take it in to a Verizon store and activated on my account (so I can then have an activated Micro-Sim). Then, a couple hours later give it back to her to activate on her line again? (Can't she just put her sim back in and poof, done?) Verizon wouldn't know any different right?

Thanks a ton!!

jtanker

New Member

posted: May. 24, 2012 @ 11:21p

I will try to be the end all be all of these answers...If you were grandfathered in and have the unlimited data plan for $30/month, it does not matter whether your phone is 3G/4G-LTE, it does not matter if you have an iPhone, Android, or window's based phone. You can swap phones as much as you want, and keep the unlimited plan....Verizon just announced that those of us who do have the unlimited data plan, if we choose to keep this feature, when it comes time to upgrade, we will have a couple options. Pay retail price..in upward of $700 for a phone, keep your unlimited plan, or pay the discounted $0-$399 and have to move to their absolutely stupid, ridiculous, tiered program.

So to recap..doesn't matter if phone is 3G or 4G...as long as you are not upgrading your phones, it is possible to keep your unlimited data plan if you pay full retail at upgrade time, or move to the tiered program to get the better price...either way, if you don't upgrade and your contract runs out..when you upgrade or renew, you lose the unlimited..

I hope this does help a little, I know some of the media jargon they use can be confusing...and verizon states on their website, if you trade phones(like I do) and you are trading a 4G-LTE phone for a 4G-LTE phone, apparently all you have to do is shut your phones off, swap sim cards, and abra-cadabra..turn them back on..your profile info is stored on that sim card and will activate on another 4G-LTE phone...back in February when I traded my Thunderbolt for a Charge, I was told by verizon customer service I had to go to a verizon store and get a new sim card..must be new..oh well..good luck to all

darylcrouse

New Member

posted: Jun. 9, 2012 @ 4:19p

Yes, they are misinformed. Do not let them touch your account trying to change it.

soundfx4

New Member

posted: Jun. 15, 2012 @ 5:57p

My situation, and my question didn't seam to be here, so while I hate to ask yet another specific question, I would very much love to know the Answer.

Currently I have

Droid ChargeUnlimited Text/minutesUnlimtied Data grandfathered.

What I would like

Droid ChargeUnlimited text/minutesunlimited data

Mifi hotspot with unlimited data.

I'd basically like to keep a mifi hotspot in my truck (I drive a truck over the road for a living) but still be able to have data/mins/texts everything else on my phone so that the two are isolated. I currently use foxfi (which has not been working so well lately) and it drains my phones battery sometimes (even when plugged in) and just shuts itself off, plus it won't work when in a phone call (and yes, I mean in a 4G area). It's an annoying mess. I want a hotspot with unlimited data that I never have to worry about having to turn off so I can take the phone with me, but I also still would like unlimited data text mins on my phone.

More important than anything though, my current number; everyone knows it, and if I had to get another phone/account to pull this off, I would need the same number to make things as simple as possible.

Thanks for the assist

soundfx4

New Member

posted: Jun. 17, 2012 @ 10:35p

is nobody able to answer my question, or even shed some light on what I'm wondering about? :'(

asuka

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Jul. 29, 2012 @ 1:51a

soundfx4 said: is nobody able to answer my question, or even shed some light on what I'm wondering about? :'(

Just saw your post above.

The easiest solution without expense, would be to swap the SIM out of your Droid Charge, and put it in the MiFi. Before you do, enable call forwarding on your Droid Charge, and forward calls to a prepaid phone.

When done surfing, take your SIM out of the MiFi and put it back in the Droid Charge, and disable call forwarding.

The only option to have both the Droid Charge and MiFi active simultaneously, would be to add a second line of service. The only way to pull that off, with unlimited data on both accounts, would be to do an Assumption of Liability on someone else's line with unlimited data. Those go for $250+ on eBay per line now, because of the value of unlimited data.

Skipping 36 Messages...

cestmoi123

Nerdy Member

posted: Aug. 12, 2013 @ 4:15p

revabowling said: OK Verizon gurus; please explain this to me. I have an unlimited grandfathered 3G plan on an iPhone 4s with Verizon. I understand that I can keep my unlimited plan if I pay full price for my new phone. (Don't need or want a new phone yet...) However, I am interested in adding an iPad to the plan. Can I add an iPad and keep unlimited data? Or do I have to switch to the shared plan for data??

Short answer: no. You MAY be able to get unlimited data on the iPad, by moving to LTE with your phone, and then moving the SIM to an LTE-capable iPad, but you won't be able to get unlimited data on both the phone and the iPad.

That said, the easy solution is just to get an Android phone, download the Pdanet app (about $7), and use your phone as a hotspot, for free, feeding your iPad over wifi.

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